


Even Then

by Musyc



Series: Art Ficlets [14]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Draco Malfoy - character, F/M, Hermione Granger - character, Inspired by Art, Love Confessions, Secret Relationship, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-15
Updated: 2012-10-15
Packaged: 2017-11-16 08:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/537625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musyc/pseuds/Musyc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He imagined, sometimes, telling Hermione the truth. Telling her what sort of person he would become, what sort of things he would have to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even Then

**Author's Note:**

> Based off [a graphic made by](http://justdramione.tumblr.com/post/23680516219/bookmademedoit-theres-a-place-that-i-know) bookmademedoit.

He imagined, sometimes, telling Hermione the truth. Telling her what sort of person he would become, what sort of things he would have to do. He wondered how she would react if he drew up his sleeve and showed her the blackness branded in his arm, the Dark Mark, the twisted snake and skull burned into his flesh. She might scream; she might weep. She might cling to him and beg him to turn himself over. He suspected a combination of all of it, a storm of emotion followed by a desperate attempt at rescue. She couldn't help herself, he knew. If someone - or something, like those wretched house-elves - needed help, she was always there.

Draco imagined telling her, but he stopped before it could become more than imaginings, every time. He didn't want things to change, didn't want things to end. There wasn't much hope for that, but he wanted to grip even that little bit of hope for as long as he could.

He ran his fingers through her curls and closed his eyes as she hummed in drowsy pleasure. Soon enough, they'd have to part, go their separate ways and sneak back into the castle. But for now, they could curl up together beneath a shady tree at the far edge of the grounds and pretend there was nothing else in the world but the two of them. They could pretend they were all that mattered. Not families or bloodlines or hate or Darkness. Just them and shy, whispered promises in the pale light of dusk.

Hermione sighed and nestled against him, her head on his shoulder and her arm slung around his waist. "Do you ever wish we could stay like this forever?" she asked. Draco tensed, afraid she'd somehow figured out his thoughts, but when she looked up at him, her eyes held nothing but that innocent question. She brushed his cheek with two fingers and smiled tentatively. "Do you?"

He looked out over the landscape, watching the wind ruffle the leaves of the Forbidden Forest. "All the time," he said after a short while. "Wish we could freeze a moment like this where there was nothing to worry about. No questions, nothing to fear. Just curl up together and never think about what might happen in the future. Never wonder if you could love me if you knew what.... If you knew my dark side."

Hermione made a soft noise and Draco slammed his mouth shut. He ground his teeth, realizing he'd said too much. He'd nearly given everything away. He pressed his left arm tight against his side unconsciously.

Hermione sat up and he looked away. She laid her hand on his jaw, coaxing him around to look at her. "Draco," she said in a quiet voice. He reluctantly met her eyes. His heart slammed in his chest at the shimmer of tears in her dark eyes. She blinked them back and leaned forward to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Even then," she whispered. "Even then, I still could. Because I do, if you didn't know."

She rested her forehead against his cheek. Draco felt her trembling and he put his arms around her without hesitation. It took him a moment to put together what she'd meant and he trembled as well once he'd realized. "Say it," he murmured into her hair. "Say it, please. All the way."

She whimpered, her face turned to his throat. It was the first time they'd gone so far as to admit this aloud, and Draco didn't blame her for being nervous. The words were dancing on the tip of his tongue and he was terrified to say them, as much as he wanted to. It would change too much. It would change everything.

Hermione tightened her grip on him, then spoke so quietly he had to strain to hear her. "Even then," she breathed. "Even with your dark side, I.... I love you."

Draco's breath caught. He couldn't do more than hold her for a few heartbeats. He struggled to get enough air to speak and his voice was softer than hers had been. "And I, er. I--"

She put her fingers over his mouth. "Don't." Lifting her head, she looked into his eyes. "Don't say something you'll have to take back. Something you'll have to lie about to protect yourself." He started to protest and she wrapped her fingers around his left wrist, startling him into silence. "I _know_ ," she said with a pointed shake to his arm. "And even so. Even with a dark side. Because I know what you _could_ be, given a chance. And I'll do everything I can to make sure you get that chance."

Draco stared at her, stunned. He couldn't find any words for the emotions swirling through him. Hermione's lips quirked in the barest hint of a smile, one that didn't quite reach her worried eyes. He opened his mouth and Hermione shook her head. "Don't. Not now." 

She snuggled in close to him, her fingers resting lightly on his sleeve. To his surprise, he didn't pull away from her touch. He let her keep her hand on his arm, her palm warm over the hidden brand. "All right," he said slowly. "Not now. But some day, Hermione. I promise."

She sighed and relaxed against him. Draco closed his eyes and tipped his head to hers, taking deep breaths of the scent of her shampoo. Not that day, no. Not now. Right now, there were no worries, no questions. No dark side or darker future. Right then, it was just them, and that was all that was going to matter to him.

Until then.


End file.
